MMA and UFC Betting Sites
Mixed martial arts, or MMA for short, is one of the purest professional sports still in existence today. In mixed martial arts, two competitors face off for a one vs. one fight in a simple cage. The first person to tap out, lose consciousness or be saved by the ref loses. The other person wins. It doesn't get any simpler than that.
In MMA, there are no team members to call on for help or to blame after the match. There is no equipment apart from a pair of shorts and a small pair of gloves. It's just one man vs. another in the ultimate contest of skill, strategy and athleticism. If you can't tell by now, I'm a bit of an MMA fan and I'm not the only one.
The popularity of MMA has seen tremendous growth in the United States and around much of the world. It was once compared to chicken fighting, but strict rules and a sense of sportsmanship have elevated MMA to new levels of respect. Where else can you watch two grown men punch each other in the face for 15 minutes and then immediately after the match give each other a toothless smile and a hug?
MMA betting sites have also seen impressive growth since the early 2000s. Simply watching an MMA match is enough to get the blood moving, but when you throw real money betting into the mix, you get something else entirely. If you're interested in seeing what all the fuss is about, check out any of the MMA betting sites listed below.
Best MMA Betting Sites
The best MMA betting sites are characterized by lots of lines, lots of betting options and reputations for fast payouts. Most major sports betting sites now offer MMA and UFC betting, so all you have to do to get started is choose one of our recommended sites and sign up for an account.
| Rank | MMA Betting Site | US? | Bonus | Get Started | |
| #1 |  |
BetOnline |  |
25% up to $900 | Visit Site! |
| #2 |  |
TopBet | |
50% up to $250 | Visit Site! |
| #3 |  |
Bovada | |
50% up to $250 | Visit Site! |
| #4 |  |
Bet365 |  |
100% up to £200 | Visit Site! |
Once you have a list of reputable MMA betting sites, choosing one for your business is a matter of personal preference. I like to keep accounts open at a couple of sites and check the lines occasionally. Major MMA fights are scheduled months in advance and the lines are posted somewhat sporadically.
One thing I look for in an MMA sports betting site is the ability to place a variety of different wagers. All MMA betting websites have options in which you can place a money line bet on the winner of a match. But I also like to have other options such as betting on how the match will end (submission, knockout, etc) and how many rounds the match will last.
UFC Betting Sites
The UFC is the biggest professional fighting organization on the planet. It receives the most airtime, generates the most revenue and showcases most of the biggest matchups. At most sports gambling sites, the focus is entirely on UFC matches. UFC betting sites provide an easy way to add excitement to any UFC matchup.
Not surprisingly, most of the betting action at UFC betting sites surrounds matchups between the big names of the league. Any time you start seeing advertisements for a big UFC match on TV or plastered on bathroom walls, you can be sure there is going to be a bunch of money trading hands. Place your wagers right and you just might earn a little extra over the course of a fight.
You can find the UFC betting section at most gambling sites listed along the side of the page along all the other sports. Sometimes it will be listed as "UFC betting" and other times "MMA betting." Sometimes you will see UFC / MMA mixed in with the boxing betting section.
I always recommend sports fans to keep a couple of betting accounts open at different online sportsbooks, but I think this is even more imperative for UFC betting. Betting sites often take wildly different approaches to MMA and their lines will reflect that. Additionally, coverage of events is sporadic so you might have to check a few different MMA betting sites before you find the match you want.
Other MMA Organizations
The UFC might be the biggest MMA organization, but it's far from the only one. In addition to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, there is also Pride, Bellator, World Extreme Cage Fighting and many more smaller outfits. The more you get involved in MMA, the more you realize there is an entire subculture dedicated to training, fighting, training and more training.
Unfortunately, it's tough to find MMA betting sites that cover these other organizations. You might see the occasional Bellator or Pride matchup, but even that doesn't happen often. It would be nice to see sports betting sites offer more MMA betting options than just UFC. It's awesome betting on UFC matches, but there are so many more opportunities out there.
Online MMA betting will continue to grow as the sport in general continues to grow. The first major televised MMA match in the United States occurred in 1993, which is relatively recent by sporting standards. The UFC and mixed martial arts in general have seen incredible growth since then and as we start to see more MMA matches on TV, we will start to see more MMA betting sites cover other organizations.